UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Regulatory power and corporate misconduct. This project aims to map and critically analyse the shift towards negotiated enforcement in response to corporate misconduct in the financial sector. There is growing concern within the community, consumer advocates, elected representatives and the finance industry itself about the increasing use by regulators of negotiated enforcement mechanisms rather than litigation to counter serious corporate misconduct in the financial sector. There is concern that these practices may lack transparency, be inefficient, fail to deter corporate misbehaviour, and operate to subvert individual justice and the rule of law. This project aims to address these concerns by developing detailed recommendations for reform based on an examination of the theory and practices of Australian and United States of America financial regulators. Field of research: 1801 - Law

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Australia’s new cities: past, present and future. This project aims to investigate the conceptualisation, creation and promotion of new cities in Australia since the mid-20th century. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of urban planning and architectural history, leading to new understandings of community engagement with planning and architecture and dialogue on decentralisation, housing affordability and metropolitan primacy. Expected outcomes of this project include contribution to the national conversation regarding political vision for large-scale infrastructure through a book, short film and media engagement on the topic. This project should provide significant benefits to community dialogue on issues of heritage, housing and environment. Field of research: 1205 - Urban and Regional Planning

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Classical and quantum invariants of low-dimensional manifolds. This project aims to advance our understanding of knots and 3-dimensional spaces, which arise naturally in fields as diverse as physics, computer graphics, chemistry and biology. Recent ideas from quantum field theory link physics to topology in dimensions 3 and 4, leading to powerful invariants of knots and 3-dimensional manifolds that include the Jones polynomial and the 3D-index. This project aims to resolve key questions relating these quantum invariants to classical topology and geometry. The project will have a major impact in low-dimensional topology, and lead to deep and unexpected connections between mathematics and mathematical physics. Field of research: 0101 - Pure Mathematics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Enhancing Australia's Social Connectedness and Emotional Well-being. This project aims to redefine scientific understanding of why social connections are good for well-being, conceptualizing it as a process that involves successful regulation of emotions and behaviour. Effective social interventions require precise understanding of psychological process: the project will supply this understanding and leverage it to develop evidence-based interventions that grow social and emotional skills. Expected outcomes include generation of a novel literature at the intersection of social- and self-regulation and methodological innovations in the study of social connections. Significant benefits include creation of applied interventions with the potential to provide a ‘social cure’ for Australia’s loneliness problem. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

How beetles harness near-infrared properties to enhance energy efficiency. This project aims to discover how animals use nanophotonic structures to manipulate near infra-red light for thermal control and visual information. Almost nothing is currently known about the mechanism, function and evolution of near-infrared properties in animals, despite their potential importance for maintaining body temperatures within the critical thermal limits for survival. The project uses multidisciplinary techniques from optical physics, physiology and evolutionary biology to reveal near-infrared adaptations in socially and economically important Christmas beetles. The intended outcomes include a bio-informed blueprint for a new class of functional nanomaterials that enhance energy efficiency. Field of research: 0603 - Evolutionary Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Novel membranes and membrane structures using electrospinning. This project aims to develop novel membrane support materials and novel membrane structures to enhance chemical separation processes. These materials can be used in desalination and water treatment, reducing the resistance to water flows. In turn, this will reduce the energy required to produce fresh drinking water for Australians, as well as the cost. The approach will also be applied to carbon dioxide capture from flue gas streams, increasing the energy efficiency of these processes, so that they can become economically viable. The project has the potential to develop localised manufacturing operations to produce these materials, adding value to Australian manufactured products. Field of research: 0904 - Chemical Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Final frontier in computational modelling of movement. This project aims to create the computational models and methods needed to advance current understanding of musculoskeletal function during movement. Humans must maintain their capacity to move in order to maintain quality-of-life. Predictive modelling is potentially the most powerful approach for understanding musculoskeletal function during movement. Current computational methods are too slow and unreliable to deliver predictive simulations of movement using realistic models of muscle and joint anatomy. This project expects to create the next generation of methods and algorithms needed to enable predictive modelling of movement. Predictive simulations will provide new insights into how muscles stabilise and control movements of the spine, pelvis and lower limbs during daily activities such as walking. Field of research: 0903 - Biomedical Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Closing the housing gap: a spotlight on intergenerational inequalities. This project aims to use never-before analysed combinations of datasets and new data on Australian housing conditions to model the consequences of unequal access to housing and housing wealth among Australians, and to evaluate both individual and national benefits of housing interventions across generations. The consequences of unequal access to housing are different for current and future generational cohorts. This project expects to reveal the drivers and health consequences of the intergenerational housing gap. Research-based insights on the intergenerational housing crisis will benefit almost all Australians affected by the unprecedented costs of ownership and renting. Field of research: 1604 - Human Geography

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Metal-Based Molecular Materials: From Electronic Structure to Functionality. This project aims to develop and explore new metal-based molecular materials, focusing on molecules that can act as magnets or be switched between multiple states by heating/cooling. This project expects to deliver an improved understanding of how the molecular electronic structure engenders desired physical properties in the target species. This insight will allow development of design principles for robust systems for nanodevices or advanced materials. As well as achieving important advances in fundamental chemistry, this project is anticipated to help lay the foundations for development of novel materials for high density data storage, quantum computing, molecular electronics/spintronics, optical displays or temperature/solvent sensors. Field of research: 0302 - Inorganic Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

High-brightness wavelength tuneable lasers for quantum science. This project aims to establish the capability to manufacture application-specific semiconductor lasers. The project will use existing facilities in Australia to enhance our world-leading quantum science research, and establish a viable export-dominated high-tech manufacturing business. Semiconductor lasers are a critical enabling technology for many scientific applications, particularly for quantum science including quantum computing and quantum sensing. This project is expected to enable the establishment of a high-tech manufacturing capability to support Australia's leading role in quantum science, and expand our scientific instrumentation exports to new and rapidly developing applications such as magnetic sensing and imaging at nanoscale, quantum communication and computation. Field of research: 0205 - Optical Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Designing functional biomaterials with superior cellular interactions. This proposal aims to make a new class of biomaterials that direct important cellular functions such as adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. This will be achieved by developing materials that leverage a previously unexplored mechanism that was recently identified in my lab: the co-engagement of integrin and syndecan-4 cell receptors. We will use these biomaterials to 1) fabricate 3D printed tissue engineering scaffolds with a superior ability to promote the development of new tissue, and 2) create surfaces that will enable us to answer fundamental scientific questions regarding cell adhesion and cell/material interactions. Field of research: 0903 - Biomedical Engineering

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Improved models to understand the genomic architecture of complex traits. This project aims to improve modelling of the genetics underlying complex traits. The project will develop and test models for using genome-wide genetic data to investigate how much heritability (genetic effect) underlies traits of interest, where it lies in the genome, and how much of it is shared across traits. The new models will be implemented in statistical algorithms in a freely-available software package. This project expects to increase understanding of biological mechanisms, the efficiency of genetic association analyses and the accuracy of genomic prediction, including the effects of interventions. The project will adapt human models to a wider range of organisms, in particular bacteria. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Linking risks to ecosystems with risks to human well-being. This project aims to provide theory and practical guidelines to integrate ecosystem science into policy and action to address human well-being. Ecosystem risk assessment provides critical information for conservation, and has compelling but unexplored relationships with human health and nature’s benefits to people. The research will identify ecosystem measures that highlight areas of risk to human well-being as well as biodiversity. Expected outcomes include new standards for including ecosystem change in policy frameworks globally and in Australia, such as natural capital accounting and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Benefits include improved ways of meeting and tracking progress on Australia’s international commitments. Field of research: 0502 - Environmental Science and Management

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Enabling the future of the Australian collider physics program. This project will secure membership for Australia’s ongoing participation in cutting-edge experimental particle physics, which explores the fundamental nature of matter and energy and how the universe works. The two frontiers of the field are the energy frontier at CERN's Large Hadron Collider and the intensity frontier at Japan's SuperKEKB collider. By providing the basic contributions required for Australian membership of these two key programs and capitalising on decades of work and accumulated expertise, significant project outcomes and benefits are expected. These include access for Australia to advanced international research facilities, training of the next generation, and a rich scientific program. Field of research: 0202 - Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Thioamide ligations: new technologies for peptide and protein synthesis. This project aims to develop novel amide-bond forming reactions for the chemical synthesis of peptides and proteins. New peptide ligation strategies, including an asparagine-based ligation and a residue-independent ligation will be developed that exploit the recent discovery of silver-promoted coupling reactions of thioamides. A novel late-stage, chemo-selective assembly of N-glycosylated asparagine residues in peptides and proteins will also be developed. The outcomes of this research will lead to breakthroughs in synthetic methodologies for the assembly and functionalisation of peptides and proteins, thereby enabling access to a range of homogeneous, post translationally modified proteins though total chemical synthesis. These research outcomes will expand Australia's research capability and global competitiveness in the field of biotechnology, delivering significant benefits to the third largest manufacturing sector in Australia. Field of research: 0305 - Organic Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Potential of gene drives to eliminate incursions of Drosophila suzukii. This project aims to test the efficacy and evolutionary stability of different types of gene drives, and model whether gene drives can be used to eliminate incursions of Drosophila suzukii into Australia. It is now possible to use genome editing technology to alter populations of organisms using ‘gene drives’. Multiple strategies have been conceived with a major distinction between those that aim to eliminate populations versus those that aim to modify populations. This project will examine these strategies in two fly species, the model, Drosophila melanogaster and the devastating pest of horticulture, Drosophila suzukii. The project expects to assess a gene drive strategy to control the invasive pest that threatens the Australian soft-skinned fruit industries. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Molecular study of copper-promoted ubiquitination. This project aims to study copper-promoted ubiquitination, a novel discovery that a conserved copper binding site in conjugating enzyme UBE2D2 promotes ubiquitination of a range of proteins including tumor suppressor p53. It predicts a correlation between copper homeostasis and cellular proteostasis and may rationalise an inverse relationship between Alzheimer's disease and cancer. This project will employ a range of integrated approaches to illuminate the molecular nature of this copper action. Expected outcomes include an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of this process, and enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration. Potential benefits include new strategies to intervene in copper-related disorders. Field of research: 0302 - Inorganic Chemistry

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Sexual conflict and evolutionary dynamics of insecticide resistance genes. This project aims to develop new approaches to mitigate resistance evolution by applying sexual selection theory to predict evolution of insecticide resistance in flies. A key assumption of current agriculture management strategies is that resistance carries fecundity or survival costs, but this is rarely demonstrated, especially in nature. Not all resistance mutations are novel; many represent pre-existing variants maintained by balancing selection i.e. opposing effects in males and females, or by environmental fluctuations. This research will provide new insight into how resistance evolves and is maintained in natural populations and may result in potential reduction in pesticide use with associated economic and biodiversity benefits. Field of research: 0604 - Genetics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Lifespan-dependent molecular shaping of the T cell receptor repertoire. Mammals have an intricate and highly complex immune system, whose function alters throughout life. Why and how this occurs is very unclear however, yet remains a crucial question. This project aims to provide fundamental knowledge on how the human lifespan shapes specific T cell receptors and determine molecular mechanisms underlying gain-of-function and loss-of-function during immunologically distinct phases of life. This project will provide analysis of multi-dimensional, high throughput datasets to identify fundamental links between the transcriptional landscape and TCR signatures across human lifespan, thus will significantly answer key immunological questions in the field. Field of research: 0601 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Real-time internet of thing algorithms with performance guarantees. This project aims to provide efficient, distributed resource allocation algorithms that can perform satisfactorily within time limits imposed by real-time systems. Real-time Internet of Things (IoT) devices will play a significant role in future transport technologies, such as autonomous vehicles and smart traffic management, and will place significant demands upon distributed computing systems to provide timely information updates. The computing challenge is to provide reliable, accurate and timely information to IoT devices. The outcomes of this project will directly be beneficial to a variety of IoT applications in transportation, autonomous vehicles, and smart cities. The valuable engineering insights and novel algorithms will support industry, government, and practitioners for future real-time IoT design and deployments. Field of research: 1005 - Communications Technologies

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Diamond superconducting nanowire single photon detectors. This project aims to develop a new type of single photon detector suitable for applications in quantum communication, sensing and metrology by exploiting recent breakthroughs in the discovery of superconductivity in boron doped diamond. This project expects to demonstrate a new, scalable architecture for integrated photonic circuits using the special properties of diamond which allow single-photon quantum emitters, passive optical components, and single-photon detectors to be integrated into one monolithic diamond chip. Expected outcomes include accelerating the uptake of Australian quantum technologies and strengthening international collaborations. Significant benefits include enhanced advanced materials manufacturing capability.  The project also provides a pathway to increase linkages with companies which are commercialising quantum technologies. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Matrix product multi-variable polynomials from quantum algebras. This project aims to expand the theory of polynomials and develop generalised polynomial families using connections to affine and toroidal algebras. Many combinatorial and computational problems in pure and applied mathematics as well as mathematical physics can be solved using polynomials in many variables, such as Macdonald polynomials. This project is anticipated to address the current difficulty of implementing symmetric and non-symmetric polynomials in symbolic algebra packages by developing completely new algorithms. New understanding from the project is expected to facilitate challenging computational problems of measurable quantities in quantum systems. Field of research: 0105 - Mathematical Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Search for spin liquids and novel physics of strongly correlated electrons. This project aims to identify new physics in quantum magnets and emergent phenomena in solids where the electrons are strongly coupled and intertwined in a complex manner. As a consequence, quantum effects are dramatically enhanced and, in certain situations, force the electrons to split into different exotic particles. Expected outcomes of this project include identification of suitable physical systems, candidate materials and appropriate conditions required for the experimental observation of this phenomena with neutron scattering methods. Such particles host an unexplored potential for future electronic devices and might be key for next generation technologies. The advanced materials and exotic particles identified in this project will inform the development of next generation technologies, becoming the quantum bits in future quantum computers. Field of research: 0204 - Condensed Matter Physics

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Social cohesion and resilience through intercultural music engagement. This project aims to identify, evaluate and develop theoretical and practical ways in which intercultural music engagement can facilitate social cohesion and enhance community resilience and intercultural empathy. There is growing evidence that music is a powerful stimulus for wellbeing and interpersonal connection and it is increasingly applied to promote intercultural understanding. This project will use detailed observational, participatory and experimental strategies to elucidate the psychosocial processes underpinning intercultural music engagement, isolating variables that promote social cohesion. The project will develop best practice guidelines for organisations seeking to use cultural exposure and interaction to promote positive multicultural experiences. Field of research: 1904 - Performing Arts and Creative Writing

ARC National Competitive Grants · FY 2019 · 2019-01

Understanding secrecy in everyday life. This project aims to undertake the first systematic investigation of secrecy in everyday life. Secrecy is often vital in professional and personal life, but current scientific understanding of the costs and processes of secrecy is limited. This project proposes using innovative methodologies to estimate the psychological costs of secrecy and test an intervention to reduce these costs. Expected outcomes include developing theory, advancing methodology, and building research capacity in supporting exceptional scholars. Significant benefits include educating community members about how to combat the harmful effects of secrecy. Field of research: 1701 - Psychology